Apparatus for and method of making fasteners



April 23, 1940. c, LEGAT 2,198,345

APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING FASTENERS Filed Nov. 5, 1938 LIUHUMUJJHUM JZofierZ Clega? Patented Apr. 23, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF MAKING FASTENERS Application November5, 1938, Serial No. 239,000

17 Claims.

This invention pertains to slide-actuated fasteners, particularly tofasteners of the kind in which the fastener elements of one at least ofthe opposed series are constituted by the successive turns of an opencoil of wire, and relates more especially to an improved machine for andmethod of assembling such a wire coil with and uniting it to a textiletape.

In accordance with one customary mode of procedure, the wire coil isfirst cut into lengths each appropriate to form a fastener, and theneach such length is united to the tape by first placing the coil inend-to-end relation to the tape, causing the end of the coil to piercethe tape and then, by turning the coil about its own axis, causing it toscrew itself into the tape, each rotation of the coil causing its end toengage and pierce the tape at a point in advance of the previous pointof piercing corresponding to the pitch of the coil.

While this method of procedure is wholly practical in making fastenersof moderate lengths and from undeformed cylindrical coils, and capableof rapid performance by a skilled worker, it is not so readily performedwhen making long fasteners or when using a coil deformed to providehook-like fastener elements as disclosed, for example, in the patent toPrentice No. 1,724,311, dated August 13, 1929. On the other hand, verylong fasteners are now commonly required by the trade, and there wouldbe a considerable advantage in preparing the completed fastenerstringer, including the united tape and coil, in great lengths as astock product so that fasteners, whether short or long, could be mademerely by cutting off proper lengths from such stock material. Moreover,it is customary to employ a deformed coil to form at least one of theseries of fastener elements.

In accordance with the present invention provision is made forassembling the tape and wire coil very rapidly and without limitation asto length and whether the coil be cylindrical or deformed, and foruniting them to form a completed stringer member; and the operation ofassembling and uniting is performed progressively, rapidly and easilyand without necessity for high skill upon the part of the operator andwithout limitation as to maximum length of the completed product otherthan such as may be imposed by the possible lengths of coil or tapeobtainable for assembly.

In attaining the desired result in accordance with the presentinvention, a stringer tape is first prepared by usual methods ofweaving, braiding or the like, but in which a predetermined width of thetape adjacent to but inwardly of one edge is of ladder-like texture,being devoid of longitudinally extending yarns. A suitably formed wirecoil is then disposed above this ladder-like portion of the tape, theaxis of the coil being disposed parallel to the length of the tape, andthe coil is then pressed against the tape so that the convolutions ofthe coil enter between the transversely extending constituent yarns ofthe tape. Then the edge portion of the tape is folded over the coil sothat these transversely extending yarn elements embrace the convolutionsof the coil, and the folded-over edge of the tape is permanently unitedto the body of the tape, for example, by sewing stitches.

In the performance of this novel method of procedure the coil and tapeare progressively advanced by suitable feed mechanism and brought intoproper registry and pressed together, and are then further advancedthrough a folding device which automatically folds the edge of the tapeover onto the body of the tape and about the wire coil. Then as theassembled parts continue to advance, a sewing mechanism unites the edgeof the tape to the body portion,--the entire operation being carried outprogressively and automatically.

In the accompanying drawing, in which one desirable mechanismappropriate for performing the above operation is illustrated by way ofexample,

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary diagrammatic side elevation, partly in verticalsection, illustrating the apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary diagrammatic plan view, with certain partsomitted;

Fig. 3 is a section to enlarged scale on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary vertical sections, to larger scale, on thelines 44 and 55, respectively, of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a transverse section, to substantially the same scale as Fig.5, through the completed stringer;

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary diagrammatic plan view of a piece of tapeappropriate for use in the practice of the improved process; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary diagrammatic front elevation of a fastenerembodying a stringer made in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l designates the frame of themachine, said frame supporting a pair of substantially horizontal bedmembers 2 and 3. The bed member 3 forms a portion of a sewing machinedevice including a presser foot bar 4 and a needle bar 5, the latterbeing provided with a sewing needle 6. The presser foot bar 4 carriesthe presser foot '|,-the bed being provided below this foot with asuitable opening for the reception of the usual feed dog 8. It is to beunderstood that the needle bar. presser foot bar and feed dog, as wellas parts cooperable with the needle 6 for forming sewing stitches (nothere shown), will be operated in properly timed relation by mechanismssuch as are commonly used in sewing machines of known type.

The bed 3 is provided with an elongate shallow groove or slot 9 of awidth substantially equal to that of the completed stringer device. Nearone edge this groove or slot 9 is furnished with a deepened portion l9preferably of curved contour designed to receive the wire coil. For aportion of its length the groove or channel 9 is furnished with a coverplate held downwardly by means of spring fingers l2 and 3. Preferablythese spring fingers are so arranged that they may be swung away fromthe cover plate to permit ready removal of the latter. For a portion ofits length the cover plate is cut away along one edge for the receptionof a presser dog M which is disposed to overlie the deepened part IU ofthe groove or channel and which is pivoted at IS on a bracket carried bythe bed plate 3 and which is pressed downwardly by means of a spring It.This dog I4 is designed to overlie the wire coil just in advance of thepresser foot I so as properly to position the coil as it advancesbeneath the presser foot.

For the accommodation of the wire coil during the sewing operation. thepresser foot is provided with a channel l (Fig. 1), and for guiding thewire coil toward its point of assembly with the tape the bed plate 2 isfurnished with a longitudinally extending slot or groove 2 (Fig. 2).

To the left of the bed plate 3 the machine frame is provided with abracket I! which supports a folder device I8. This folder preferably isof the usual scroll type used as an attachment for sewing machines forturning a hem and preferably is provided with a supporting member whichis adiustablv connected to the bracket I! by means of a bolt 20.

To the left of the bracket the machine frame is furnished with a pair ofhorizontal stub shafts 2| and 22. respectively, having their axes in thesame vertical plane.

The stub shaft 22 carries a freely rotatable tape-guiding rollcomprising the portion 23 having a cylindrical edge surface desi ned tosupport the body portion of the tape T and a part 24 of somewhat largerdiameter than the part 23 and connected to the latter by means of a pin25. The part 24 is of a width substantially corresponding to the widthof the ladder-like part of the tape. as above referred to, and has acircumferential groove 26. preferably of a depth substantially greaterthan the radius of the wire coil and whose walls are defined by thinflange portions 21 and 28, each of which is toothed at its edge.

On the stub shaft 2| is mounted a coil-guiding roll 29, preferablyhaving a tapering rim whose edge is of a width less than the width ofthe groove 26, said edge having a peripheral groove 30 of a curvedcontour substantially conforming to the curvature of the wire coil Cwhich is to be assembled with the tape but which preferably is of adepth slightly less than the radius of the wire coil. The outer face ofthe roll 29 is provided with a tape-clamping flange 3| designed tooverlie the outer surface of the toothed flange 28 of the lower rollmember 24, being spaced from said outer face a distance substantiallyequal to the thickness of the tape.

A bracket l extending to the left of the main frame I, as shown in Fig.1, supports a tape guiding plate 32. This plate has associated with it atensioning member 33 pressed toward the plate by an adjustable spring34. The tape T passes between the members 32 and 33 and then beneath aroller 35 by means of which it is guided into engagement with the rollmembers 23 and 24 and so that the ladder-like portion of the tape isdirectly above the groove 26 with its borders impaled upon the teeth atthe edges of the flanges 21 and 28, respectively, and with its selvageedge so overlapping the outer surface of the roll member 24 as to becaught and clamped against such surface by the clamping flange 3|.

The tape employed for this purpose is of the general type illustrated inFig. '7. This tape T may be made by a weaving or braiding operation fromsuitable textile material and has the selvages 36 and 31. That portionof the tape indicated at 39, and which may be referred to as the bodyportion, is of close texture comprising both longitudinal and transverseyarn elements, and the marginal portion 39, closely adjacent to theselvage edge 31 likewise has both longitudinal and transverse elements.However, the ladderlike part indicated at 40, adjacent to the margin 39,is devoid of longitudinally extending elements and comprises yarns 4|which extend only transversely and which are thus freely separable.

In the operation of the mechanism, the wire coil C is disposed in thegroove 2 of the bed member 2 and the tape T is interposed between themembers 32 and 33, and then the coil and tape are drawn forwardlybetween the upper and lower roll members and into and through the folder|8,-and thence through the channel 9 and beneath the presser foot I ofthe sewing machine mechanism. The plate II is then properly positionedand the sewing machine started in operation.

The feed mechanism of the sewing machine causes the tape and coil toprogress toward the right as viewed in Fig. 1. The ladder-like portionof the tape overlying the groove 26 receives the coil C, which isproperly guided by the groove in the upper roll 29, and this upper roll,being suitably spaced with reference to the lower roll 24, not onlyguides the coil so as to overlie the part 40 of the tape, but alsopresses the coil into the substance of the tape so that its convolutionsenter between the parallel yarn members 4| of the tape. As the coil andtape continue to advance, the margin 39 of the tape leaves the rollmember 24 and also the clamping member 3| (by means of which such marginis positively gripped while the coil is being pressed transversely intothe tape) and then passes into the folder device I8, where the margin 39of the tape (as well as the part 40 of the tape) is caused to be foldedover until the margin 39 is disposed upon the body 38 of the tape (Fig.4).

The parts as thus positioned enter beneath the spring-pressed coverplate H which keeps them in proper relative position as they advancetoward the sewing mechanism. As they continue to advance, the coil ispressed down by the presser dog I 4 so that it is delivered properlyinto the channel 1 of the presser foot, and as the coil and tape advancebeneath the presser foot, the needle 6, with its associated parts, formssewing stitches permanently uniting the margin 39 of the tape to thebody portion 38. During the folding operation the yarn elements M of thetape are caused to embrace the convolutions of the wire coil so that thecoil is thereby permanently but flexibly anchored to the tape throughoutits length.

The result of the above operation is to form a stringer tape such asshown in Fig. 6, in which the body and edge portions of the tape areunited by the sewing stitches S, the wire coil C extending along oneedge of the completed stringer and being firmly bound to the tape T.

Such a stringer, resulting from the association of a tape and coil maybe used in forming a fastener device such as shown in Fig. 8. In thisfigure two tapes T and T with their associated coils C and Crespectively, are shown as assembled and as provided with the slider Kto form a fastener of the type illustrated, for example, in the patentto Prentice No. 1,724,311, dated August 13, 1929, it being noted that inthis fastener one coil is a cylindrical coil and the other is a deformedcoil, and that either type of coil may be assembled with its tape withequal facility by the machine herein disclosed.

While a desirable form of mechanism has herein been illustrated by wayof example, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarilylimited to the precise details shown, but is considered inclusive of anyand all equivalents and substitutions falling within the scope of theappended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for use in assembling with and uniting to an open wire coila textile tape having a ladder-like area including transverse yarns butdevoid of longitudinally extending yarns and extending longitudinally ofthe tape adjacent to but spaced inwardly from one selvage, saidapparatus comprising means for guiding the coil and tape to move endwisealong convergent paths, means operative to support the ladder-likeportion of the tape at its borders only, and means operative to pressthe coil transversely toward said ladder-like portion of the tape whilethe latter is so supported thereby to cause the convolutions of the coilto enter between the transverse yarns of the ladder-like portion of thetape.

2. Apparatus for use in assembling with and uniting to an open wire coila textile tape hav ing a ladder-like area including transverse yarns butdevoid of longitudinally extending yarns and extending longitudinally ofthe tape adjacent to but spaced inwardly from one selvage, saidapparatus comprising means for guiding the coil and tape to move endwisealong convergent paths, means operative to support the ladder-likeportion of the tape at its borders only, means operative to press thecoil transversely toward said ladder-like portion of the tape while thelatter is so supported thereby to cause the convolutions of the coil toenter between the transverse yarns of the ladder-like portion of thetape, and means operative to fold that selvage of the tape which liesadjacent to said ladder-like portion about the coil and over onto thebody of the tape thereby to wrap the transverse yarns of saidladder-like portion about convolutions of the coil.

3. Apparatus for use in assembling with and uniting to an open wire coila textile tape having a ladder-like area including transverse yarns butdevoid of longitudinally extending yarns and extending longitudinally ofthe tape adjacent to but spaced inwardly from one selvage, saidapparatus comprising means for guiding the coil and tape to move endwisealong convergent paths, means operative to support the ladder-likeportion of the tape at its borders only, means operative to press thecoil transversely toward said ladder-like portion of the tape while thelatter is so supported thereby to cause the convolutions of the coil toenter between the transverse yarns of the ladder-like portion of thetape, means operative to fold that selvage of the tape which liesadjacent to said ladder-like portion about the coil and over onto thebody of the tape thereby to wrap the transverse yarns of saidladder-like portion about convolutions of the coil, means operativepermanently to secure said selvage of the tape to the body portion ofthe tape, and means operative progressively and concomitantly to movethe coil and tape through the zones of operation of the guiding,pressing, folding and uniting means.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that the tapeguiding means includes adjustable means operative to apply tension tothe moving tape.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the meansfor supporting the ladder-like portion of the tape comprises a parthaving a groove of a depth at least as great as the radius of the wirecoil, the opposite walls of the groove having retaining elementsengageable with the opposite borders respectively of the ladder-likeportion of the tape for holding said ladder-like portion taut andbridging the groove while the coil is being pressed against saidladderlike portion.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that the meansfor supporting the ladder-like portion of the tape comprises a rollhaving spaced radial flanges defining between them a groove of a widthat least as great as the diameter of the wire coil, and teeth projectingfrom the outer edges of said flanges operative by impalement of theborders of the ladder-like portion of the tape to hold the latter tautand bridging the groove in the roll.

'7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2, further characterized in having ascroll-type folder through which the tape and coil are drawn, therebyprogressively to curl the selvage of the tape over the coil and intocontact with the body of the tape.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3, characterized in having sewingmachine mechanism for permanently uniting the selvage of the tape to thebody of the tape by sewing stitches.

9. Apparatus for assembling and uniting an open wire coil with a textiletape having a ladderlike portion inwardly of one of its selvages, saidapparatus comprising a peripherally grooved roll having means adjacentto the opposite edges of the groove, respectively, for engaging theborders of the ladder-like portion of the tape thereby to hold it tautand bridging the groove, and a second roll turning about an axisparallel to the axis of the first roll and having a peripheral groovefor guiding the wire coil, the axes of the rolls being so spaced that asthe tape and coil pass between the rolls the coil is forced transverselyinto the ladder-like portion of the tape.

10. Apparatus for assembling and uniting an open wire coil with atextile tape having a ladderlike portion inwardly of one of itsselvages, said apparatus comprising a peripherally grooved roll havingmeans adjacent to the opposite edges of the groove, respectively, forengaging the borders of the ladder-like portion of the tape thereby tohold it taut and bridging the groove, a coil-guiding roll turning on anaxis parallel to the axis of the first roll, said second roll having aflange which overlaps the outer race of the first roll and which is sospaced from the latter as to clamp the selvage edge of the tape betweenthem.

11. Apparatus for assembling and uniting an open wire coil with atextile tape having a ladderlike portion, said apparatus comprising aperipherally grooved tape-guiding roll having means adjacent to theopposite edges of the groove, respectively, for engaging the borders ofthe ladder-like portion of the tape, and 'a coil-guiding roll turningabout an axis parallel to the axis of the first roll, the edge of thesecond roll being of a thickness less than the width of the groove inthe first roll and having a peripheral, transversely curved coil-guidingchannel, said channel being of a depth less than the radius of the coil.

12. Apparatus for assembling and uniting an open wire coil with atextile tape having a ladderlike portion inwardly of one of its selvagesand which comprises transversely extending yarns only, said apparatuscomprising a tape-guiding roll comprising means operative by engagementwith the borders of the ladder-like portion of the tape to hold it tautand bridging the groove, coilguiding means operative to" dispose thecoil in contact with the ladder-like portion of the tape, a scroll-typefolder operative progressively to curl the selvage of the tape about thecoil, sewing means operative permanently to unite the turned selvage tothe body of the coil, and means operative to hold the selvagesubstantially in contact with the body of the tape as the tape and coilmove from the folder to the sewing means.

13. Apparatus for assembling and uniting an open wire coil with atextile tape having a ladderlike portion inwardly of one of itsselvages, said apparatus comprising a tape-guiding and a coilguidingroll constructed and arranged to press the wire coil transversely intothe substance of the ladder-like portion of the tape, folding meansoperative to curl the selvage of the tape about the coil and intocontact with the body of the tape, means operative permanently to unitethe selvage to the body of the tape, means providing a guide channelleading from the folding means to the uniting means, and aspring-pressed removable cover for said channel.

14. Apparatus for assembling and uniting an open wire coil with atextile tape having a ladderlike portion inwardly of one of itsselvages, said apparatus comprising a tape-guiding and a coilguidingroll constructed and arranged to press the coil into the substance ofthe ladder-like portion of the tape, means operative to fold the selvageof the tape over the coil and into contact with the body of the tape,means for uniting the selvage to the body of the tape, and aspringpressed foot operative to engage the coil and properly to positionthe latter as the assembled tape and coil approach the uniting means.

15. Apparatus for assembling and uniting an open wire coil with atextile tape having a ladderlike portion inwardly of one of its selvagesand which comprises transversely extending yarns only, said apparatuscomprising means operative to guide the tape and coil along convergingpaths into contact, means operative to press the: coil transversely intothe substance of the tape, folding means operative to curl the selvageof the tape over the coil and into contact with the body of the tape,and stitch-forming instrumentalities operative permanently to unite theselvage of the tape to the body portion of the tape, said stitchforminginstrumentalities including a presser foot and a feed dog, the presserfoot having a channel in its under surface for the accommodation of thecoil.

16. Apparatus for assembling and uniting an open wire coil with atextile tape having a ladderlike portion inwardly of one of itsselvages, said apparatus comprising a roll having an open peripheralgroove and teeth adjacent to the opposite edges of the groove,respectively, said teeth being operative by impalement of the borders ofthe ladder-dike portion of the tape to hold the latter taut and bridgingthe groove, means for clamping the selvage of the tape thereby toprevent it from slipping when subjected to pressure, advancing andguiding mean-s operative to position the coil so as to lielongitudinally of the ladder-like portion of the tape, and meansoperative to press the coil transversely against the taut ladder-likeportion of the tape thereby to cause its convolutions to enter betweenthe transverse yarns of the ladder-like portion of the tape.

17. Method of assembling with and uniting to an open wire coil a textiletape having a ladderlike area extending longitudinally thereof andinwardly of one selvage, which comprises the successive steps of movingthe tape and wire coil endwise through a zone in which they are causedto approach a parallel relation, then moving them endwise through a zonein which the ladder-like portion of the tape is held transversely tautand supported at its borders only while the coil is pressed transverselyof the plane of the tape into said ladder-like portion of the tape, thenmoving them endwise through a zone in which the selvage of the tape isprogressively curled about the coil so as to be in contact with the tapeand concomitantly to wrap the ladder-forming elements of the tape aboutconvolutions of the coil, then moving them endwise through a zone inwhich the folded tape is held under compression, and then moving themendwise through a zone in which the selvage of the tape is permanentlyunited to the body of the tape.

ROBERT C. LEGAT.

